Christina Aguilera had better watch out - there's a new diva on the rise.
Napier's Daniela Young may only be 13 years old, but she can sing (in English and Spanish), dance, play piano and guitar, and she's just become a wannabe.
Daniela won the regional final of Television Two's pop talent
quest for 13-19 year olds Wannabes On Tour at the Convention Centre in Palmerston North last weekend, beating 15 other contestants to first place.
Daniela, along with the other regional winners, will travel to Christchurch next month to shoot a music video which will be broadcast on TV2 later this year.
The video that gets the most viewers votes wins the title. Daniela, who is in year 9 at Woodford House, may already have many traits of a superstar diva - the voice, the moves and the stage name "Daniela Rosa" - but she doesn't have the diva hissy-fit attitude.
"I was so surprised. I didn't think I was going to win," said Daniela.
Her winning tune was I Turn to You by Christina Aguilera, who was Daniela's favourite singer because "her voice is so powerful".
But Daniela's real inspiration comes from closer to home - her mum, Ana Westerlaken.
"My passion for singing comes from my Mum. She may not be able to sing that well, but her passion has been passed onto me. She's an inspiration."
Westerlaken, who is originally from Spain, was proud of her daughter who, she said, "has got it all".
Daniela has been singing for as long as she could remember and last year she began singing lessons to improve her voice and breathing techniques.
Although a regular at the Taradale Club's karaoke night, Daniela's singing practice was usually limited to a family audience and the shower walls - so the nerves sank in when she performed in front of the crowd on Saturday.
"When I'm older I'd like to be an internationally known singer, performing classical and pop music and singing in different languages," Daniela said.
